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BeginnerPublished 2026-07-02

LACP EtherChannel: Active/Passive Negotiation

Bundle lab

Build a two-link LACP EtherChannel between SW1 and SW2 using an active/passive pairing. The logical Port-channel2 carries VLAN 20 as an access link so two hosts on opposite switches can communicate. Verify with show etherchannel summary, show lacp neighbor, and host-to-host pings.

Track
Est. time
35 minutes
Difficulty
Beginner
Topics

Learning objectives

  • Bundle two parallel links into a single Port-channel using LACP with active/passive negotiation
  • Apply consistent Layer-2 parameters on the Port-channel (access VLAN) and allow members to inherit
  • Validate LACP neighbors and Port-channel state with core IOS show commands
  • Diagnose common LACP and EtherChannel mismatches that prevent bundling

Troubleshooting focus

  • Mode mismatch or wrong channel-group number prevents the bundle from forming
  • Member interfaces configured with conflicting switchport parameters compared to the Port-channel
  • Forgetting to create or match VLAN 20 on both switches isolates hosts
  • Leaving per-member access VLAN settings that fight with the Port-channel access config

Topology

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Grade your work

How this lab is graded
  • Build it your way. Where a lab lets you choose a value — a VLAN name, an interface description — grading checks that you configured it, not which name you picked. Names that another line has to reference, like an ACL applied with access-class, are stated in the guide and do have to match.
  • Addresses, modes and protocol keywords are exact. An IP address, a subnet mask, switchport mode trunk, an encapsulation — these carry the meaning of the lab, so they are graded as written in the guide.
  • Grading reads your saved configuration. Export the lab from CML after you have configured it, and make sure anything you set is in the running-config — a change that only exists in a terminal session never reaches the grader.
  • You can submit as many times as you like. Your best score stands, and each attempt tells you which checks passed so you can work the gaps.
  • Scored something you believe is correct? Use Report an issue on this page — that is exactly how the grading fixes in the changelog got found.

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